Conserving Battlefield Terrain

The Vimy and Beaumont-Hamel sites comprise close to 80 percent of conserved First World War battlefield in existence. Both sites include extensive areas of historic battlefield terrain in the form of trenches, shell holes, mine craters and other features from the First World War. It sets these memorial sites apart from all others and is a powerful part of a remembrance experience.

Together, the Vimy and Beaumont-Hamel memorials receive approximately one million visitors each year. Due to their overwhelming popularity and an increasing number of visitors every year, the sites' fragile battlefield terrain features are subject to damage and wear.

Improvements have been made to pathways and walkways, while hazard trees have been removed to ensure the health and safety of visitors.